The 2010 Subway Super Series begins tonight at St John, New Brunswick as the Quebec Junior League stars meet the touring Russians.
In truth, this cross-CHL series of 6 games has declined to the point of questioning its value, certainly for Hockey Canada.
Having said that, I do not dispute for a second, there’s a major opportunity here for the participants, and I know I’m getting repetitive here, but it remains a terrific story.
In 2007, Wayne Simmonds of the Attack was selected to play in one of the games.
In truth, Simmonds was an OHL lineup filler with far less profile than many of the others believed to be the ” chosen ones “.
But to Simmonds’ credit, he performed so well in the first leg of the OHL segment that Hockey Canada went on a wild man-hunt to track him down on the Attack bus on the QEW, imploring him to get back to Owen Sound, find an airport and get himself to Sudbury for the second game in the OHL segment.
A month later, Simmonds was on the National Junior team, a few months after that, he was a rookie in the NHL with the LA Kings and has never looked back.
I doubt I’ll watch any of the Subway Super Series, inside or outside of the OHL games, but for the players involved, including the 4 members of the Owen Sound Attack, the Super Series is a super opportunity.
I’m Fred Wallace